


Phoenix

by Zanbaby



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Caretaking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Gender-neutral Reader, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-22 17:56:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22187467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zanbaby/pseuds/Zanbaby
Summary: After being resurrected, Asra begins the difficult journey of learning how to be him again, fortunately he has you to make it a lot easier~
Relationships: Asra (The Arcana)/Reader
Comments: 7
Kudos: 128





	Phoenix

**Author's Note:**

> In which Asra is the one who died and MC is the one who brought him back and took care of him ♡

It’s been a few days since performing the ritual, and for the most part Asra has just done a lot of sleeping. You’re glad of it, though. He needs to recuperate, and frankly so do you. 

Powerful though you are, to retrieve a human soul from the other side, and to then create a vessel from literal _ash_ is no easy feat. There are far greater beings that could not even perform such an act.

That aside, what’s done is done; you succeeded, and Asra is home safe.

The relief attached to that sentiment prompts you to glance over with a tired smile at the sleeping man in your once-shared-bed. You’ve since made your own place to sleep now though. It just doesn’t feel right sharing his space anymore when the poor mite barely even knows who he is, let alone what you used to have together. 

Your eyes drift over to the clock on the wall, ticking faithfully like a heartbeat. It’s late, and it’ll do you no good to deprive yourself of any more sleep.

Just as you’re about to retire though, Asra stirs.

You think better of going over to disturb him in case it’s just a mere moment of lucidity, but it’s not, and he immediately starts looking around for you as soon as he sits up.

“Hi, sweetheart,” you croon, going to his side and stroking his hair. “You’re okay, I’m right here.”

He reaches up and takes your hand, smiling as he rubs his cheek against it like a cat.

You kneel by his bedside then and tuck the covers up around him, encouraging him to lie back down and go to sleep. It seems this isn’t what Asra had in mind however, as his face turns pleading and he tries to say something in the way of a protest.

“No? Don’t want to go back to bed?” you assume. “That’s okay, what do you need then, darling?”

Asra squeezes your hand as he tries his best to speak, but he doesn’t know any words yet; not even the word for the thing he wants.

You can see in the depths of his beautiful violet eyes that he’s still in there, and it pains you to think that he’s trapped; fully aware but simply unable to communicate or do things for himself in this state. It must be so frustrating for him.

“It’s alright, sweetheart, don’t cry,” you croon when Asra starts to hiccup and rub his eyes with the backs of his hands like a child, “I’m listening to you, darling, I hear you. You want something, yes?”

Asra sniffles and begins to calm again when he focuses on you, nodding his head in silent affirmation.

There are only a handful of things it could be at this time of night anyway, so you list his choices for him patiently.

“Bathroom?” you chirp.

Asra shakes his head.

“Warm enough?”

Asra nods his head.

“Ah, you want a drink, huh?” you smile, earning an ardent nod as Asra begins to murmur sounds of agreement.

You gently kiss him between his eyes and stroke his hair out of his face.

“I’ll be right back,” you assure, tucking the covers around him again.

Right now, poor Asra is struggling to even walk; it’s truly no different to having a toddler who’s just learning things for the first time, but while it’s sad to see him so helpless, you love him just the same even if his memories of you aren’t there, and nursing him back to health is no chore.

You return with a glass of water to find him waiting patiently in bed, tears still clinging to his lashes.

“Here you are, little love,” you soothe, handing him the glass. You have to steady his hands a little, but Asra seems content to let you, given that he’s at least able to drink on his own.

That’s an obstacle he’s overcome pretty quickly, actually. The very first day Asra could barely lift his head let alone hold objects… you’re very glad that stage is over; it wasn’t pleasant to see him that way.

You take the half-empty glass once he’s had sufficient, and then you help him to settle down again and tuck him in, wiping away the residual tears with gentle swipes of your thumbs.

“Better?” you smile.

Asra nods, and mirrors your expression, almost — for a moment — looking like his old self.

“Sweet dreams, little love,” you coo, kissing his forehead cherishingly as you pull the covers up around him.

He will get there eventually; he’ll be himself again one day, you don’t doubt that at all… but you can only hope it’ll all be worth it when he remembers. You hope you’ve done the right thing in bringing him back.

A few months down the line and Asra is walking mostly unaided. He is a lot more vocal, too; only the odd, unconnected few words and a lot of non-verbal sounds, but he’s coming on leaps and bounds.

Faust seems as saddened as you sometimes when she’s coiled around his arm while he sleeps; she must miss the Asra who could talk to her, but his affection for her hadn’t waned a bit even when he first returned.

He’d needed your guiding hand to teach him how to handle her properly, but Faust had been most patient with him and most grateful to you, and it was a relief to find that at the very least he was still bonded with his familiar. 

It’s been exhausting though, you can’t deny. You’ve really only just recovered your full strength after the resurrection ritual, and while Asra is getting much easier to take care of, it’s a labour of love to be sure, and you’re tired most days.

Asra has been sleeping peacefully for a couple of hours now while you pore over texts at the overcrowded table piled with books.

You refuse to lose touch with the basics, and after using so much of your power for such a demanding spell, you think it’s wise to seek out some humbleness, and reaffirm your foundations of magical knowledge. 

Your head weighs heavy in your palm; wrist going numb with the pressure against your elbow perched on the desk, and just as you’re starting to drift, you hear movement and the familiar shuffling of bare feet against the threadbare rug.

“Hi, little love,” you purr, eyes heavy and voice dragging as you feel his hand close around your arm and request your attention with a gentle shake.

A once proud magician reduced to a man with the functionality of an infant; you wish you could have brought all of him back instead of him having to endure the trials of relearning himself, but there’s no room to complain, really... having him back in any measure is enough. The rest of him will come when it’s ready. 

Until then, you’re here for him; whatever he needs.

You smile softly as Asra tugs wordlessly on your arm again. 

“I’m listening, angel, what do you need?” you patiently reassure.

“C-come... bed... c-come to... b-bed,” he stutters, his tongue tangling with the words and a focused furrow between his brows as he sounds them out.

You’re hit with a strike of lucidity; eyes wide as you straighten yourself up and blink at him.

“Asra... you spoke, you— _sweetheart_ , you just said a full sentence!” you appraise, cupping his face between your hands and earning a delighted grin from him as you flurry him with kisses. “You’re so clever, you’re so clever, you’re so clever, Asra!” 

Of course you already knew he was capable of such, but it’s a relief to see him achieve another breakthrough nonetheless, and one that will grant him a big portion of his autonomy back, too.

“Please,” he smiles sweetly with a tilt of his head — for another of those increasingly more frequent moments — looking and sounding like the old Asra. “C-come to bed… w-with… me.”

You bite your lip in an effort to stop it from trembling; tears threatening you as it all becomes so much more real and possible, and all of a sudden, you believe you can rest assured that Asra will find himself again soon.

“Alright, alright, I’m coming to bed,” you smile, stroking his fluffy white hair as you gaze at him just a moment longer. 

Asra nods and offers you an affirming hum before he turns with his hand still holding yours and leads you to bed himself.

You get in carefully beside him; it’s plenty big enough for the both of you, but as if nothing has changed at all, Asra immediately occupies whatever fraction of space between you there is. He wants to be close to you again.

It feels so nice just to hold him like this, and you wonder if he’s starting to remember those things on his own… or he’s just unconsciously seeking the familiar comfort of your body against his.

Regardless, whether Asra ever recalls the past and how you brought him back doesn’t really matter now. It seems even starting from scratch, there is something inside him that will always search for you. 

His soft breaths come soon after you settle down. He must have only woken up to invite you to join him out of worry for your sleeplessness, despite still being tired himself.

You smile to yourself, resting your chin on top of his head as his face fits perfectly in the shape of your neck.

“You’re so strong,” you whisper, holding him in your arms as he breathes deeply and peacefully against your chest, “we’ll have you feeling like yourself again soon, my love… you’re closer than you think.”


End file.
